President Donald Trump has nominated Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways, to serve as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), putting a seasoned airline executive at the helm of the agency overseeing the safety of America’s skies.
Trump announced the nomination on Truth Social, citing Bedford’s decades of leadership in the aviation sector and praising his experience across multiple regional carriers. “Bryan will work with our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to strongly reform the Agency, safeguard our exports, and ensure the safety of nearly one billion annual passenger movements,” the post read.
A Leader with Deep Industry Roots
Bedford has led Republic Airways since 1999, guiding the company through significant growth—from a regional airline with $85 million in annual revenue and a fleet of 36 turboprops, to a $1.3 billion operation flying nearly 200 Embraer E-Jets. Before that, he served as CEO of Mesaba Holdings and Business Express Airlines, gaining experience at nearly every level of commercial aviation.
With more than 30 years in the airline industry, Bedford has twice been named “Airline Executive of the Year” by Regional Airline World and received the same title from Airline Business in 2009 according to his board of directors bio on Republic Airways.
He is also a certified public accountant and holds commercial, multi-engine, and instrument pilot ratings—bringing operational, financial, and technical expertise to the nomination.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Troy E. Nehls released the following statement regarding the nomination:
“As a pilot and someone with decades of first-hand experience in the aviation industry, Bryan is a great choice to lead the FAA. We look forward to working with him on modernizing and staffing our air traffic control system, ensuring the safety of the entire aviation system for travelers, and strengthening this critical component of our economy. We can achieve this through implementation of the FAA Reauthorization Act as well as additional bipartisan and decisive action this Congress. We commend the President for nominating a candidate with an extensive background in aviation and a track record of success, and for doing so in a timely manner so that Congress can act swiftly to get an Administrator in place at this critical time for our aviation system.”
Controversial Stance on Pilot Training Requirements
Bedford has publicly opposed the 1,500-hour rule for commercial pilots. In 2014, he lobbied against the regulation before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In 2022, Republic Airways’ request to the FAA to reduce the required hours to 750 for graduates of its flight training program was rejected.
What’s Next?
The nomination has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. A hearing date has not yet been announced.
If confirmed, Bedford would work closely with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to lead modernization, strengthen oversight, and reshape the agency’s approach to workforce development and safety regulation.